What if Christians Could End Poverty? Would We Do It?

(Image courtesy Wikimedia, public domain.)

Anywhere you go--on any street, highway, and back road--you'll see church buildings. Sometimes several on one block. In an earlier three-part blog post on tithing, I discovered that as little as 0-8% of the money we give to our local houses of worship actually goes to help the "orphans and widows in their distress" (James 1:27), despite that the New Testament does not teach that Christians need to tithe--rather, they are primarily supposed to use their wealth to help the widow, orphan, and foreigner. Instead, though, we've consumed our own resources, spending them on church buildings, clergy salaries, and programming that mostly serves us.

So, now, as I drive past all these churches, I can't help but wonder how much we've spent on ourselves and, if we were to spend that amount on the needy people of the world, would it make a difference?

According to The Borgen Project, it would cost us $175 Billion per year for 20 years to end global poverty. Get that? GLOBAL poverty, not just poverty in the US or Canada.

According to the article, 14 Church Statistics You Need To Know for 2020, by Reach Right, despite reduced church attendance, "Donations to churches and other types of religious organizations rose by 3.3% in 2019 to $131.5 billion. This number is in the United States only.

So, Americans are giving $131.5 Billion and the worldwide financial need is a mere $43.5 Billion more. What does that tell us? That if ALL believers worldwide stopped paying for church buildings and clergy salaries, we could end poverty... for EVERYONE.

Granted, this is a rather simplistic perspective. Since poverty is a multifaceted problem, which includes a variety of cultural and social phenomena, it's a bit naive to assume just throwing money at the problem would solve it. True enough. However, if Christians:

... no longer just slapped a check in the plate

... stopped passing God's command to help the poor onto others

... set aside our religiosity (that is so often used to disguise our sin)

... learned to personally reach out to real people in the midst of their pain and suffering

... learned to trust the Holy Spirit to use us to meet the needs of others

... and used our resources--not just our money, but also our compassion, time, skills, wisdom, and grace--to show this severely hurting world God's love and mercy, we wouldn't just have the power to end poverty. We could end human trafficking, pornography, abortion, jail overpopulation--and a host of other terrible things.

But would we?

Or are we too dedicated to doing things the way we always have? Is it too easy to simply show up at a nice building, listen to a religious performance, shake hands with a few respectable people, place our 10% in the plate, and go home feeling like we've done our Christian duty?

Uncovering False Teachings: Universalism's Second Chance to be Saved

 

Universalism is the belief that God is so loving that He will give every single person a second chance to be saved by Jesus and go to Heaven--even if they refuse to enter into a positive relationship with Jesus in this life. The argument, basically, goes as follows:

1. Not all people on this earth have the opportunity, during their lifetimes, to hear about or accept Jesus or the "real Jesus."
2. God loves all people and wants to save all people.
3. God is a just God who wouldn't send someone to Hell based on a technicality, such as rejecting Christ out of ignorance or based on false reasoning. 
4. Therefore, a just and loving God cannot require that all people have a relationship with Jesus before they die and will, in fact, offer them a second chance to come face-to-face with the real, loving, saving Jesus after they die so they can finally get right with Him and enter into Heaven.

On the surface, this argument seems to be consistent with the loving character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. However, in this post, I will point out the primary flaws as well as the logical absurdities that follow this view. I will then present the truth of the Gospel as defined by Jesus Himself and the writers of Scripture. Finally, I will respond with the biblical solutions to the perceived problems universalism tries to avoid.

Universalism's Primary Flaws

1. Universalism Can't be Supported with Scripture.

Granted, attempts have been made. There are many verses about God's love and willingness to forgive. Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of His enemies as He hung on the cross. (Luke 23:34) Universalists reason that, if Jesus prayed for it, God would've just done it, regardless of the condition of the hearts of the people in question. But there simply are NO verses or passages or parables that verify this belief nor suggest that ALL people, once dead, will get another chance to accept Jesus or get right with God and then enter Heaven. Rather, Scripture teaches precisely the opposite: that "...people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment," (Hebrews 9:27). And Jesus's parable in Luke 13:22-30 makes it clear that once the doors of Heaven close, any who have not believed in Him will not get in. According to Scripture, the only thing that will happen post-death is Christ's judgment--no second redemptive act, no second offers of salvation, no second chances (Matthew 25:31-46). Therefore, unless you were one of those people of faith who died prior to the coming of Christ (Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40) or believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior (Matthew 7:21-23, John 14:6, I Thessalonians 4:13-18), you do NOT belong to God and you will NOT get a second chance to figure this out after you die.

2. Universalism Compromises the Gospel.

One of the concepts universalism teaches is a different understanding of what Jesus actually did on the cross. They don't like the idea that God would sacrifice His son or that He would demand a sacrifice at all. So, according to universalism, Jesus didn't actually "pay" for your sins with His death. He merely allowed Himself to be killed as a demonstration of love--to show the world their own evil and to show them what love does. This re-imagining of the Gospel is part of the fallout of giving everyone a second chance. The first, in-this-life-chance, then, becomes irrelevant, and so does the Gospel. This different "gospel" is also the consequence of a general distaste for and misunderstanding of the way God's character is described in Scripture. They imagine that God is in His Heaven, turning a blind eye to Jesus--His son--as He suffers on the cross. But God was the one on the cross--just as much as Jesus. They were still ONE. Jesus felt the full weight of the world's sin. He felt a separation from the Godhead. But there was no genuine separation, or Jesus could not have paid the price for our sin or conquered death. Jesus is God. Jesus is the Holy Spirit. All three Persons of the Godhead chose to hang on that cross, each experiencing the torture and natural consequences of our sin so that we don't have to. That's the true Good News, and it is the clear teaching of Scripture. (See: Leviticus 17:11, John 3:16, 14:6, I Peter 1:18-19, 2:24, Hebrews 9:12-15,  Ephesians 1:7, Galatians 1:4, 3:13, Romans 5:10, 10:9-10, I Corinthians 1:30, Colossians 1:20-22, etc.). Universalism disregards the Gospel of Jesus and redefines it because they don't know God, they don't trust His Word, and they don't believe that anything God has done in this life--including dying on the cross for our sin--will ultimately be relevant.

3. Universalism Excuses What God Condemns.

The most uniform and consistent warning in Scripture is to avoid idolatry. The first TWO of the Ten Commandments deal with it (Exodus 20:3-5). When asked which of the commandments was the most important, Jesus said, "The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:29-30). However, universalism completely disregards God's clear and consistent warnings against following other gods in this life, and it ignores God's claims about Himself as being a "jealous God" (Exodus 20:5). According to universalism, it doesn't really matter what you believe, which gods you follow, or whether you love or hate your true Creator and Savior. You'll end up choosing Jesus after you die, so no harm no foul. Universalism makes God's and Jesus's warnings obsolete and it makes their urgency and seriousness seem foolish and exaggerated. After all, if universalism is true and we all get a second chance after death to learn the truth face to face with Jesus, it doesn't matter what I believe now. I can be a Buddhist, a Mormon, a Christian Scientist, an Muslim, a Hindu, a Baha'i, an atheist, or even a Satanist. I can believe Jesus was a fraud. I can hate Christians and everything they stand for. I can fill my life with hedonistic activities, pagan rituals, and everything God condemns because... if you get a second chance where you WILL accept the truth, your first chance is irrelevant.

4. Universalism Assumes God Can't or Won't Reach All People in This Life.

The motivator behind universalism is to avoid the desperate fear that maybe God just isn't truly good or truly fair. Universalists believe that there are many people who have died never hearing the name "Jesus" and many who have rejected Jesus merely because Jesus was misrepresented to them. Therefore, they reason, a good and loving God wouldn't hold them responsible for not believing in Him. (For example: the Muslim child who was raised to believe in love and kindness but was only taught about Mohamed, the jungle dweller who never hears of the Bible or Jesus, the abused child raised in foster care whose only message about God/Jesus was at best a false representation and so he/she rejects God based on this false information.) However, this is a very small view of God and it completely ignores vast swathes of Scripture that say precisely the opposite: that God wants to save all people, that Jesus died to save the entire world, that all people will be given the opportunity to acquire faith in God or reject Him, and that one's choice for or against the Truth in this life will have eternal consequences. (More on this to follow.)

5. Universalism Contradicts Scripture.

In order to push forward a different gospel than the one clearly defined by Jesus in Scripture, one must ignore vast portions of the Bible and push forward ideas the Bible simply doesn't support. Universalism does both these things, resulting in many clear contradictions. Here are a few that I've already pointed out:

• Universalism claims we get a second chance to come to faith after we die. The Bible says we are judged after we die based on our faith during this life. (Daniel 12:2, Mark 8:34b-38, Luke 16:19-31, Hebrews 9:24-28, Romans 1:20, 2:5, II Corinthians 6:2, etc.)
• Universalism claims God can't save everyone during this life. The Bible teaches that salvation is available to all people during their lifetimes. (I Timothy 2:3-6, Mark 13:10, Luke 19:40, Matthew 13:3-9, John 3:16-17, etc.)
• Universalism claims Jesus didn't die as an atoning sacrifice, but merely as a demonstration of God's love. The Bible teaches that it is by Jesus's atoning death on the cross that we can be redeemed from our sin. (Leviticus 17:11, John 3:16, 14:6, I Peter 1:18-19, 2:24, Hebrews 9:12-15,  Ephesians 1:7, Galatians 1:4, 3:13, Romans 5:10, 10:9-10, I Corinthians 1:30, Colossians 1:20-22, etc.)

6. Universalism Assumes a Second Chance Will Matter.

Universalists have very little faith in the human ability to seek and find God and/or in God's ability to adequately reveal Himself to all people of all tribes, creeds, and nations. Since the Bible and reality seem to agree that many, many people are lost and have rejected God (including some seemingly very good people), something must be amiss with human intelligence, with God's plan and methods, or both. Because they don't want to fathom that a good and loving God could allow anyone to go to Hell (or, if so, only serial killers and terrorists), they must accept the non-biblical doctrine of the post-death, second chance at grace. However, not only does Scripture make it clear that all people will be given plenty of opportunity to come to a saving knowledge of the true God in this lifetime (Romans 8:31-39), it also teaches that, once someone rejects God, a second chance won't be offered, and, even if it were offered, it wouldn't make a difference--even if someone rises from the dead to prove it (Matthew 28:11-15, Luke 14:15-24 and 16:19-31, Romans 3:20, Hebrews 9:27, Revelations 20:11-15, 21:27).

7. Universalism Assumes Most People Would Love Jesus if they Met Him.

The appeal of universalism is that all people, if they were just given a real chance to meet Jesus and experience God's love, couldn't help but to love Him back and want to be with Him. They then look at a world and history full of people who have rejected God, and reason that God simply must not have given them an appropriate chance. Therefore, it's not really humanity's fault for rejecting their Creator and Savior. It's God's fault for not reaching them. But not only does this belief cast God in a very disparaging light, it disregards what Scripture teaches about faith and the lack thereof. After all, many who met Jesus face to face in this life still rejected Him, even after His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15). In fact, they continued to hate Jesus so much, they went so far as to persecute anyone who dared believe in Him (Matthew 5:10, Mark 10: 29-30, Luke 6:22, John 15:18, II Corinthians 11:16-28, II Timothy 3:12). The sad reality is that human beings are far more likely to reject Christ than to love Him (Matthew 7:13, 13:3-9). And, contrary to popular belief, the Bible teaches that this lack of faith has nothing to do with race, region, culture, or personal circumstance. Rather, all people have been given plenty of evidence to believe in and follow the true God, so that, if they don't, they will have no excuse (Romans 1:20, 8:31-39, Jeremiah 23:23-24). Furthermore, Christ came to "proclaim good news to the poor... freedom for the prisoners... recovery of sight for the blind... [and] to set the oppressed free" (Luke 4:18). Therefore, even great personal trauma cannot keep someone from seeking and loving Christ. Only pride can do that (II Corinthians 7:14, James 4:10, Proverbs 29:23, Jeremiah 13:17, Psalm 73:6, Obadiah 1:3, etc).

8. Universalism Misunderstands the Concepts of Love and Justice.

I suspect that the universalist's favorite verse is, "God is love" (I John 4:8). It's one of mine, too. And the Bible is rich with verses that describe how deeply God loves us (I John 3:1), how He has pursued us (Jeremiah 31:3), cares for us (Psalm 23:1-6), and gave His life for us (Galatians 1:4). However, God's love is not a simple, unilateral, surface type of love. God's love (indeed, all love) requires truth and holiness and justice to be love. You can't love what you don't know--truth. You can't love if your love is motivated by selfish gain--holiness. And since love is only manifested within a reciprocal relationship, you can't have a love relationship without mutuality--justice. Yes, God is love. But God is also just. It is because of His justice that He forgives (I John 1:9) and also because of His justice that He will judge those who have not turned and been forgiven (Acts 17:31). The deal isn't that God will save us merely because He loves us. His love for us motivated his offer of salvation, but He will only save those who willingly choose to enter a love-based, reciprocal relationship with Him by accepting Jesus's sacrificial offer of grace and forgiveness. We must want Him to get Him. After all, God is not a bully. Because He loves us, He respects our free will. And, because of our sinful state, it goes against His nature (yes, even against His love nature), to rescue those who don't want to be rescued. In fact, if He were to pull sinful, pride-filled people into His presence against their will, without them first being cleansed by the sacrificial blood of Jesus, they would be consumed in the fire of God's holiness and glory. After all, God is also a "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29, Matthew 3:12) and no sinful person can look upon Him and live (Exodus 33:20).

9. Universalism is not Christianity; It's Just Another Works-Based Religion.

Within Christianity and Catholicism, there are a great many differences of opinion on theological issues and religious practice. However, most of these differences aren't enough to strip someone of the title "Christian." As long as the Gospel itself is left intact, we can all confidently call one another brothers and sisters in Christ. Universalism, however, strikes at the heart of the Gospel itself and substitutes a different gospel for the one defined in Scripture. For this reason, universalism cannot rightly be called a "Christian" faith system. It is a different religion altogether. And, like every other religion out there, it is a works-based religion (if a somewhat watered down one.) Though universalism claims we all get a second chance (and so, what we do and believe now hardly matters), they still focus very much on the performance of good deeds during this life (e.g. helping the poor, being generous, rejecting bigotry, and trying to love like Jesus.). Since Jesus does speak harshly about "wicked" people being judged, universalists fear it may be possible that the hyper-evil people of this world might yet find themselves in Hell (or obliterated). So, the only way to ensure that you'll accept Christ's second chance after you die is to be a good person by embracing love during this life. However, Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus's offer of salvation was an act of pure, undeserved grace. We can't earn it. We can't work for it or purchase it or deserve it. It is a free gift. But if we don't accept it, we can't be saved. (John 3:16-17, 5:24, Acts 4:12, 16:30-31, Romans 10:9-10, Galatians 2:15-16, Ephesians 2:8-9, II Corinthians 5:21, Titus 3:4-7, Revelation 3:20, etc.)

Universalism's Logical Absurdities

1. Their God is Letting Us Suffer for No Reason.  

If Jesus is planning on giving everyone a second chance and saving us all after this life is over, what is He waiting for? What is the purpose of this life? Why not just kill us all and get the suffering over with so we can all just go be with Him in Paradise? I mean, skip to the end already! Doesn't the fact that the universalist's little god is just letting us suffer for no reason contradict our understanding of God's love? Letting wickedness and suffering continue without restraint and for no eternal purpose isn't love, it's cruel torture.

2. Their God is So Limited, He Can't Be God.

The god of the universalists is extremely limited and a very bad strategist. Like the God of Scripture, he goes to all the trouble of creating this world and making perfect people, only to be rejected when we choose to follow our own desires. However, at this point, things take a weird shift for the god of the universalists. Where the God of Scripture has a clearly defined plan for our redemption, this little god gets stuck. His perfect world is ruined and people are running amuck. And, since our salvation isn't an essential part of his plan, he has no eternal purpose for continuing this miserable existence. Sure, he attempts to show us a better way by sending Jesus to meander around for a while and let himself get killed. He even raises Jesus back to life to show people that love conquers all.... But while some people seem to get it, others don't, and now there are so many of them, and they're all spread out, and they're all so entrenched in their false religions that this tiny god can't seem to do anything about it. "Oh, well," this micro-god reasons. "I'll just wait for them to die, and then I'll grab them by the collars, look them in the eye, and tell them the truth face-to-face." Except there's one problem with that: this minuscule god can't possibly be the huge, omnipresent, all-knowing, and all-powerful God of the Bible. The God of Scripture doesn't have trouble communicating. He's never flustered, or desperate, or in need of an escape hatch for a failed plan. He doesn't waste time, overlook suffering, apologize, or get frantic and pushy. And He doesn't accept excuses for our lack of faith--particularly because He's given us every opportunity to follow Him (Romans 1:20). And, no, He's not being unfair to demand faith in Jesus as a prerequisite for a relationship with Jesus. It's the epitome of justice. Anything less would be weakness, inconsistency, and arbitrariness. No. Any "god" who acts like the god of the universalists simply isn't God.

3. Their God Contradicts Himself.

The God of Scripture says He's a jealous God (Exodus 34:14) and repeatedly tells us to avoid idolatry, stop sinning, and follow Him alone. He came as Jesus to die in our place and become the Way to salvation through grace for those who believe on His Name. But, while the universalists seem to be using the same Bible, they insist these passages have little to no eternal weight. You can, in fact, follow Muhammad or Buddha or a god of your own imagination for all the days of your life and still end up enjoying a full relationship with the true God in Heaven one day. You can bow down to idols. You can sacrifice your children to Molech or to your own sexual freedom through abortion. You can engage in homosexuality, hedonism, sex-trafficking, pedophilia--you name it. Doesn't really matter, because you're getting a second chance. You can even hear about Jesus and decide He's not for you. Though the God of the Bible tells us salvation is found in Christ alone (John 3:36, Acts 4:12, I Timothy 2:5, etc.) and that those who continue to sin will not be saved (I John 3:9), universalism makes every kind of evil permissible for your entire life. Well, which is it, little universalist god? You can't have it both ways.

4. Death is the Way to Salvation, Not Jesus.

Although Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6), universalism claims this doesn't actually apply until after we die. So, I'm not sure why Jesus came and participated in this life at all. Seems like a waste of time and a lot of suffering for nothing. After all, if we don't all have the capacity to recognize and accept Jesus during this life, then Jesus isn't the true way to our salvation, death is. Universalism seems to assume some magical quality of life after death that will make us more accepting of a relationship with God. It's as if we'll gain spiritual eyes that will allow us to see the truth that God was simply unable to show us during this lifetime. Frankly, I'm not sure I'd trust that, if God couldn't get through to us now, that He'll be able to do it later. Didn't He design this life for that express purpose? Oh, that's right. The micro-god of the universalists has no purpose for this life.

5. Free Will and Morality Are Arbitrary.

The universalists want to insist that, because God is love, He will save everyone--regardless of how good or bad we are in this life. But if only your post-death decisions matter for eternity and we will choose God at that time, is there such a thing as free will at all? There's really no way to know for sure. Furthermore, universalists assume God is going to excuse our evil deeds, but at the same time, they insist we embrace love, help the needy, and treat all people with tolerance and respect. But here's the clincher: If your evil deeds and false beliefs don't matter in this life, neither do your good beliefs or good deeds. And, in many cases, there's really no way to tell the difference. After all, if a perfectly holy God is going to excuse evil, how evil could it be? If God is withholding value judgments, what right do we have to make any--even about our own choices? If everyone's getting into Heaven, why bother worrying about beliefs, attitudes, or behavior? None of it is going to matter in the end. And if God is overlooking our suffering for some unfathomable reason (see #1 of this list), why bother helping the hurting? All slates will be wiped clean, including ours....

6. Universalism Makes Following Universalism Unnecessary

This one makes me laugh, actually. Because if universalism says nothing we believe ultimately will matter, why follow universalism? I'll enjoy my life a lot more just not worrying about any of it, and no universalist can logically claim that my hedonism or atheism or whatever is going to land me in any worse standing with God than what they want me to believe. So... yeah.

The Truth of the Gospel as Defined by Jesus and the Writers of Scripture

The Gospel Message:

God made you in His image. He loves you with His entire Being. But you are subject to the sinfulness of this world. You are lost. On your own, you cannot hope to make yourself clean enough to be in the presence of a perfectly holy God. However, God knew you and loved you before the creation of the world, and He had a plan in place for your rescue. His plan was Himself. In the Person of Jesus Christ, God Himself took the penalty of your sinful state, paid the price, and conquered death so that you could be free. This is the ONLY way you can have an eternity with God in His Heaven. But being made in the image of God means you also have free will, as He does. You get to choose whether to enter into a positive relationship with Jesus or to follow your own way or some other false theology. If you do not choose to follow Christ and accept His pardon for your sin, you are choosing to face the penalties of your sin on your own, which means an eternity separated from God in a place or state called Hell. However, if you choose to believe in Christ, you will live your life according to His example. After your death, you will be raised again alongside all other people to be judged. Because you know Jesus, He will welcome you into Heaven and a new, eternal life in God's presence.

(Genesis 1:27, John 3:16-18, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6, Romans 6:23, Titus 3:4-7, John 1:12, Acts 4:11-12, Colossians 1:5, I John 3:2, Revelations 22:5.)

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:18). 

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).

 "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12).

Related Topics for Further Study:

Though I speak disparagingly about universalism in this post, the universalists I've met are kind, generous, caring people. Most of them are struggling or former Christians who have embraced universalism in order to solve problems they've identified within mainstream Christian theology. Some of these problems are genuine. Some are not. Below are some links to some biblical responses to the problems universalists and many people perceive with the traditional Gospel, God's grace, and God's judgment.

But, Is God Is Really Able and Willing to Save ALL People During Their Lifetimes?

Would A Loving God Send People to Hell?

How Could a Good God Sacrifice His Son?

 

Do Those Who Died Prior to Jesus's Coming Get a Second Chance?

But the Bible says God Hardens People's Hearts. Isn't that Evidence that He Isn't Willing to Save All People In This Lifetime?

Will God Judge Us Based on Our Deeds or on What We Believe About Jesus?

10 Things Religous Leaders Say to Secure a Following

Photo by Shelagh Murphy from Pexels

Spiritual manipulation and abuse comes in various forms. What we tend most to fear is the evil, wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type of person who purposefully weaves a web of lies and half-truths, in order to promote himself (or herself) to a position of power and "spiritual authority" so as to be able to control people for their own benefit--all under the guise of following God's will. We've heard of the #ChurchToo movement that has exposed hundreds of abuses, and many of these have been just this sort of thing--vicious, concerted efforts to undermine, manipulate, and use people for the power, pleasure, or greed of the closet-narcissist in power--the one person we thought we could trust.

However, I suspect that what most often happens is something less overt and intentional, but often no less dangerous. After all, manipulation can start off as something sincere and purely motivated. The monsters of today weren't born like that. Something happened to bring that about. And people who have an unhealthy need for constant affirmation are often drawn to positions where that need is filled.
Religious leaders receive pats on the back, public accolades, and praise from the congregation, in addition to having an audience of devoted followers showing up to listen to his thoughts and opinions with rapt attention for an hour every week. Even if he didn't start off with an ego issue, this kind of thing can quickly create a kind of celebrity goggles that makes us believe we're more important, more wise, less fallible, or even more "called" and "gifted" than we actually are. It also strips us of the normal checks and balances (pastors often complain they have no one with whom they can discuss their own struggles) and provides an environment where our darker desires and motivations have a place to grow unchecked.

My purpose here is NOT to suggest that every pastor or religious leader is out to manipulate you so they can go on to use or abuse you for their own selfish gain. Certainly, I've known many wonderful spiritual leaders, both male and female, who are completely others-centered and who lead and serve simply because they love Jesus and want to share His love with others. These kinds of people are approachable, teachable, humble, wise, encouraging, considerate, respectful, and full of integrity. They are open to honest discussion, welcome difficult questions, refrain from favoritism, avoid self-promotion, and readily admit mistakes.

The point I want to make here is this: the religious hierarchical organizational structures that have become part and parcel to how we "do church" often require manipulative tactics to succeed. Religious leaders of traditionally-styled, audience/performer church organizations regularly utilize them in one way or another. Not all of these tactics are particularly harmful (like playing "Come As You Are" during the alter call). However, it's important for those in attendance recognize the underlying subtext of what is spoken or done from the church's stage, so we can make informed decisions and avoid getting sucked into a commitment that doesn't come from the heart or that serves a purpose that isn't truly Christ-centered or Holy Spirit led.

I could make similar lists about nearly every aspect of "church life" (if that's what we want to call the spectator sport going on in most churches), but here I'm just going to point out a few common phrases I've heard repeatedly from pastors and lesser religious leaders who are trying to gain or maintain a following. My reason for listing them here is that they are often manipulative, at least at some level--meaning that the subtext and purpose behind them is, at base, to secure your allegiance, support, trust, admiration, and/or pity for the leader himself and his goals for the group. And though many leaders (like bosses, politicians, and teachers) may say these kinds of things, when a religious leader says them, there is always an underlying claim that God Himself is blessing, ordaining, or driving the show. So, if you disagree or question the leader, you're disagreeing with or questioning God. And THAT is the manipulative part.

So, here are a 10 examples of things pastors/religious leaders might say to their congregation/audience to secure a following for themselves (as God's representatives and/or "called" leaders.)

1."I've gone through seminary, been ordained, and have been in ministry for 11 years." In order to be hired into modern, organized, religious institutions, ministers have to "prove" to an elder board that they are sufficiently qualified to perform the functions of the job. Others are lone wolves, planting churches under their own authority. In both cases, they may repeatedly list their credentials and experience and/or tell inspiring stories of how God has mightily used them in past spiritual ministry situations. Though this may all be true, the reason religious leaders do this kind of self-promotion is so that the audience/congregation will trust them and choose to accept their leadership as God-ordained.

2. "I'm not the lead pastor of this church; Jesus is." Though it's honorable give God glory, this phrase does way more than that. First, and despite the disclaimer, it reminds the congregation that the person talking is, in fact, the lead pastor (that's a legal title complete with a pay package, job description, and hierarchical authority). If you were a visitor at that church, you would immediately know he was the lead pastor. Second, it cites Jesus Christ Himself as the source of the religious leader's authority over YOU, the congregation, and over everything that happens in that church or by the decision of the person making this statement.

3. "God orchestrated it so that you would be here today." This one is particularly clever, as it claims that God Himself wants you to be there, giving that person your attention and, hopefully, your allegiance. God Himself divinely intervened to prevent you from doing anything else (i.e. babysitting for the single mom next door, having a conversation with your daughter about the boy who broke her heart, helping that young couple jump their car in the Wal-Mart parking lot, etc.) because it was that important that you be here to hear this man speak and promote himself and his ministry to you. Hmm....

4. "I finally gave in and accepted God's call to be your pastor." What a guy, am I right? The best kind of leader is the reluctant leader--the person who doesn't want the accolade and the spiritual responsibility, but who eventually "follows God's call" to ministry. This is a guy you can trust, because he's not in it for the wrong reasons. After all, it was God Himself, who had to convince him to take this position of power and authority over you, so surely he's the right guy for the job. He didn't pick this; God did. ...Please forgive the thinly-veiled sarcasm. I do believe many a good-hearted person has had this kind of spiritual experience. However, a statement like this can easily be faked, and an experience like this may not be from God at all. Maybe God was actually saying "no," but the guy needed accolade so much that he spiritualized his power-grabbing journey. At base, this kind of statement is a way for the religious leader to, in a few short words, tell you he is a humble person and that it was God's idea that he be your leader. (So, if you don't follow the pastor, then you're not following ____. Can you guess? God! That's right. You're so smart.)

5. "As God called and directed Paul, He has also been calling and directing me to be a light in dark places." Now, most pastors are a little more subtle than this. But it's not unusual for a pastor to find some Bible hero--someone you already trust and admire--and compare themselves to that individual for the purpose of elevating themselves or spiritualizing their life experiences so that they appear to have been called or equipped or led by God to have authority over you.

6. "I have been working long hours and have been stretched very thin. My family sees little of me and I get very little sleep--all so that I can lead this ministry." This statement may indeed be true. But here's the rub: On the one hand, it reveals an unhealthy lack of balance in this person's life. If the "call" to be a pastor requires that he/she sacrifice family responsibilities or even healthy respite, that's a problem. Secondly, it's an appeal to you for pity, at the very least, so that compassion will further align you with this servant of God who is suffering so much on your behalf. It is also a veiled request for you to volunteer your time to help out, and it distances the pastor from his "flock" by implicitly telling you he is too busy to deal with you or your problems directly. Don't bother calling.

7. "Everything that happens in this church is based on Scripture." Certainly, any Christ-loving person looking for a church home wants this to be true, but consider the great many churches who claim to be "based on Scripture," yet can't seem to agree on even the simplest things. My point with this one isn't to disparage attempts to follow Biblical standards, rather, I merely want to encourage the church seeker to search Scripture itself and follow the Holy Spirit above whatever the guy behind the mic says. Every church I've visited has made this claim, but I've also spotted many a megalomaniac who has skillfully manipulated Scripture to gain power for themselves, engage in abuse or overlook it, and condemn any who oppose them. Buyer beware.

8. "Won't you catch the vision?" Whenever I've heard this type of statement, it was either from the lips of a new pastor, from a pastor whose following was slipping, or at the launch or promotion of some program or ministry effort. It's simultaneously a reinforcement of the speaker's validity as your inspired and God-ordained leader, a request for your compliance with the plan, and a call for you to donate your time, skills, and money. When you hear this one, just make sure you're clear (for yourself!) on whether or not the Holy Spirit is actually in charge. I once sat and listened to a lengthy pseudo-sermon about "kingdom building" (in which Jesus was never once mentioned) that culminated in the cry, "I'm on the boat! Are you on the boat?" I just thought, "Not if Jesus isn't on the boat."

9. "I'm not the minister, you are. I've been called to equip you to be ministers." This is a popular one and sincerely meant by a great many wonderful religious leaders; however, I'm not actually sure how biblically sound it is. Did New Testament churches actually function this way? They didn't have the church hierarchies, paid staff, or titles we have today. There was no "lead pastor" or weekly sermon or worship team. They didn't face front and watch a spiritualized performance; they faced one another around a meal. Pretty much nothing we do today resembles the Christian experience Paul and the other apostles set up. At that time, "church" didn't refer to an activity or a place or an event. It was the people, and every member was expected to exercise his or her gifts as equals. So, though this statement massages your egos as being God's ministers (which you are), it also makes a powerful claim about the speaker: God Himself has given you this intermediary person to teach you and train you to do God's work. Therefore, in order to be in line with what God wants of you, you must be willing to learn from and follow this person. My concern is not so much about where this particular ministry is going, but how did we get so far away from genuine New Testament modeled practice without anyone seeming to notice?

10. "God has called and gifted you in amazing ways to do the work of the Gospel." This statement is true, of course. In normal contexts, I have absolutely no problem with it. However, when spoken from the pulpit, I have a few questions: 1. Great, but what is this "work" you are wanting me to do? 2. I'm a female. Are you sure you actually believe that? Or is there a hidden caveat for me like, "As long a you stick to women's ministry, the nursery, or the kitchen?" 3. If we're ALL "called and gifted in amazing ways," why do only two or three of us have a voice in this Christian "family?"

I limited my list here to 10 statements that, when made from the pulpit, can be manipulative and, even if they don't turn out to be ultimately damaging, they most definitely reveal the speaker's intent to gain a following for himself (or herself.) There are many, many, MANY more, of course, but hopefully this list and explanation will help you identify some of those for yourselves.

Now perhaps you've heard some (or all) of these things before and your response is something like: "But I know Pastor Bill, and even though he's said some of these things, he is a wonderful man who loves God! You're just being hyper-critical and suspicious!"

Well, I am happy for you and certainly wouldn't argue with you. But note that what good, honorable religious leaders say to gain a following are often the SAME things self-centered, narcissistic, religious leaders say. And here's an interesting question for you: If Pastor Bill wasn't trying to appeal to an audience, earn a paycheck, or please the elder board but, rather, was just a wise, compassionate member of a family of believers (like in a small group or house church where every person was a fully-functioning member), would he ever NEED to say any of these things?

As far as being hyper-critical and suspicious, you're absolutely right. I am critical--at least, in the sense that I actively engage my ability for critical thinking. And I am suspicious. Unfortunately, I have to be in a world and culture where so many spiritually-veiled abuses have occurred, and you should be too. Just because someone has the title "pastor," doesn't mean you can trust that person. And it's not certainly ungodly to withhold your trust until you have gotten to know that person well. In fact, Scripture encourages this kind of wariness and scrutiny again and again. I'll leave you with the following passages to consider:

"These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so," (Acts 17:11) 

"Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them," (Acts 20:28-30). 

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachers the way of truth will be maligned^. And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words," (II Peter 2:1-3a).

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15).
 
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves," (Matthew 23:13-15).

"I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

"Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they are deluding you. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord," (Jeremiah 23:16b).

"My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations," (Ezekiel 13:9a)

"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect," (Matthew 24:24). 

"For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths," (II Timothy 4:3-4). 
 
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world," (I John 4:1).

Why Aren't Christians Better At Agreeing on and Following Biblical Principle?

"Jesus said, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). 

When I read these words, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I can remember many times when I have been shown love and support from my Christian brothers and sisters. Even today, I rely on the relationships I have within the Christian community to help guide me, encourage me, and correct me. I think of these individuals as my extended family. And I have seen the organized church do some amazingly, sacrificial things for the world in the form of charity and support. Most charitable organizations are Christian. We are in the world adopting the orphans, feeding the widows, encouraging those in prison, rescuing the captives, freeing the slaves, and welcoming the alien.

On the other hand, I also have been greatly hurt by other Christians. I have witnessed pride and greed and lust and fearmongering and hatefulness and violence. "68 percent of church-going men and over 50 percent of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76 percent actively search for porn" (Reference). And the #churchtoo movement has brought out many stories of priests, pastors, and church leaders grossly misusing their power to abuse those who trust them, and then of the demonic coverups and victim-blaming. (e.g. Protestant Abuse Scandals & Coverups, Catholic Church Abuse Scandals & Coverups)

When I look at these things, my heart hurts. I have to remind myself that Jesus warned us, saying, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15) and He encouraged us to be as "wise as serpents and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

The part of me that wants to just go to church and trust those in charge to follow Christ authentically and lead well is checked by the reality that positions of power (even within the church) often breed narcissism and abusiveness. And it is commanded by God that I, as a believer, be aware and critically examine all those who would seek to be my spiritual teachers. And Paul gives us the following example to follow: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).

Unfortunately, Christians who regularly practice and apply critical thinking skills in the church (by asking tough questions or challenging traditional beliefs) are often demonized and labeled difficult, rebellious, having a "Jezebel" spirit, divisive, critical, and/or uncooperative (especially if that person happens to be female). Granted, there is a constructive way and a destructive way to go about challenging the status quo, but institutionalized religion, by its very structure and culture, discourages any and all critical examination. Indeed, the excuse of "protecting the ministry" has been used again and again to cover up terrible abuses, making it necessary for the victims to suffer in silence and, in some cases, carry all the blame. It is little wonder then that so few people are willing to voice opposition to false or dangerous teachings and practices within their churches (preferring just to leave), and why these evils are allowed to remain and worsen.

In this way, modern power structures associated with organized religion often create situations where wolves are bred, thrive unchecked, and destroy the flock. And while many believers think of their local churches as safe places (and perhaps they are) and call their churches "New Testament churches" or "Bible-based churches," the organized church structures we follow today are NOT based on sound biblical principles. 

I will be exploring this startling claim little by little in future posts, but basically: though the principles of loving one another, generosity, supporting one another, and gathering with other believers are Christ-centered, the way we go about practicing these things is often formulaic instead of Spirit-led and based on pagan or worldly organizational paradigms instead of on how Christ and the apostles set up the early church. We don't recognize this reality because we lack culturally and historically accurate translation and interpretation of Scripture, we refuse to do the research on our own or think critically, and we trust and value Christian tradition far more than Holy Spirit led relationship. When we allow what Jesus intended to be a Holy Spirit led relationship with our Creator turn into a religious, formulaic obligation, we completely miss the point, and we allow in evils that have no place in the body of Christ.

These are some of the frustrations I have with organized religion, as it is today (and I suspect why so many people are leaving the church). So I must ask myself:

Why Aren't Christians Better At Agreeing on and Following Biblical Principle?

After much thought and study, I've identified some of the issues that impede our proper understanding and application of biblical principles:

1. Lack of cultural understanding.

We simply do not understand how biblical people lived and interacted with one another. We don't understand the power structures, the unspoken manners and social skills, or the implicit references. Though much more of this information is available for study, the research is intensive and time-consuming, and few Christians take the time to do it, preferring instead to be spoon-fed by others. So the default position is to read the Bible and interpret it based on our modern, Western culture, which has created a great many flawed or blatantly false teachings. 

EXAMPLE: I have heard it claimed that Jesus and His disciple, John, were involved in a homosexual relationship, based on John 13:25 where it describes John "leaning back against Jesus." To the hyper-sexualized modern American observer, that kind of behavior would indeed indicate sexual intimacy. 

However, it was the custom of Jewish people, while celebrating the Passover, to gather with their families and follow a traditional ceremony of sorts. That ceremony included the washing of hands and feet, sitting down to a meal that consisted of some very specific foods, and gathering around the father to hear him tell the old story of God's deliverance. During this last part, the youngest child would sit on his/her father's lap. 

Jesus had designed His group of disciples like a kind of family--an early example of how the body of Christ (the ekklesia) is supposed to function. And at this final Passover meal, Jesus, a man in his 30s, was acting as father of this family. John was the youngest (probably in his late teens/early twenties). So, when John (by his own volition) leaned against Jesus, he was doing so out of filial devotion and affection and respect, not out of sexual desire. He was honoring a long-held tradition and behaving in a culturally acceptable manner for men of their positions and ages. 

Even today, other countries maintain cultural attitudes about acceptable, hetero-sexual male behavior are vastly different from ours. Heterosexual men in India, for example, hold hands while walking along. Italian men aren't afraid to greet one another with a kiss. Russians kiss one another three times on alternate cheeks in greeting. None of these behaviors are understood to be homosexual advances.

2. Lack of historical understanding.

The biblical people who wrote and received the Scriptural texts were part of a historical time period we will simply never experience for ourselves. They followed different religious and governmental structures. They had different lifestyles and responsibilities. They grew up with different stories and values and perspectives. To assume, then, that what they wrote (for one another, mostly) merely needs to be translated into English for us to fully understand it is incredibly short-sighted (especially given the fact that we rarely even read entire books or passages at a time, preferring instead to dip in for a verse or two at a time.)

EXAMPLE: Most modern churches (both Catholic and Protestant) uphold the stance that women should not be allowed to teach or have authority in church or in the home, and they believe it is a biblical teaching meant for all people, in all places, and at all times. They base this view on I Timothy 2:12. The NIV translates this verse: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet." However, the modern interpretation that negates women from leadership positions is mistaken in at least two ways, and both of these mistakes have to do with a lack of historical understanding and the very specific, historically-centered purpose of this particular passage.

The first mistake is the assumption that early believers belonged to organized churches that resemble ours today--complete with hired pastors/clergy, church buildings, 40-minute sermons, tithing, and a regular order of service. They didn't. In fact, the function of pastor wasn't a hired & trained position. Pastoring (meaning shepherding) might be performed by men or women, and it was fluid--something they did for a while and then moved on to another function, like evangelizing or prophesying or sharing a worship song. (More on that in a later post about pastors and clergy.)

The second mistake we make is by mistranslating and misinterpreting the verse by taking out of its historical context. The passage wasn't a prohibition against any and all women speaking or teaching during the gatherings of believers (which would contradict a great many biblical examples of women praised for doing just that), it was most likely directed at a specific person who was abusing her freedom and bringing pagan pre-gnostic teachings into the body of believers. Given the rest of the letter, the historical setting, the religious atmosphere, and the other textual references, this makes the most sense. Here's a great article by Marg Mowczko that explores this further.

3. Lack of literary understanding. 

Many believers simply don't have a good grasp on what the Bible is. We tend to think of it as one book instead of as 66 different writings by 40 or more authors. We think of it as an English text for modern readers instead of an ancient Hebrew, Aramiac, and Greek text directed at very specific audiences. We think of it as literal and instructional when, in fact, most of it is made up of historical record, poetic pros, parables, and letters. We think of it as "having been written for me," when, in fact, only certain parts were intended as direct messages, and those were addressed to specific people or groups. 

Not all of Scripture is directly applicable today or intended for all groups of people in all places and at all times. Though the facts are generally trustworthy* and teachings about how to be godly and Christ-centered are universally applicable and we can learn a great deal about God's character by reading about how He interacted with biblical people, much of Scripture is bound by culture, time, and place. (So, please don't build an ark or storm Jericho or try to find a donkey colt for Jesus. Those words weren't directed at us.)

4. The language barrier. We do not speak the kind of Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic that was used to write the Bible. And due to our lack of historical and cultural understanding, not one of our modern English Bible translations are 100% accurate. They all contain mistranslated and misleading passages. As a bi-lingual person who has served as a translator on numerous occasions, I am fully aware of how easily this can occur. Those individuals who have translated Scripture and/or created commentaries to interpret Scripture are not one of them without flaws, biases, or prejudices. Though I believe those who have taken on this task, on the whole, have intended to honor God's Word, subconscious errors can and have been made.

5. Pride, Bias, and Self-Centered Motives. Though we may not be aware of our biases or self-centered motives, they are a form of pride and have negatively affected the accuracy of our modern translations. Indeed, even overt, purposeful errors have been made in an effort to make the Bible align more closely with what we think it should say, so that our prejudices and greedy desires can find support in Scripture. This has been going on for millennia. Jeremiah records these words: "How can you say, 'We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,' when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?" (Jer. 8:8)

EXAMPLE: A recent edition of the "unapologetically complementarian" English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV) has actually added the words to "contrary to" to Genesis 3:16, changing the text from, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (NIV). The ESV changed it to "your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you." And they did this to make the passage appear as if it is man's God-given responsibility to master naturally wayward women.

(Crossway has come under a great deal of criticism for the ESV and has changed their minds on keeping this edition permanent, but little has actually been done to fix the problem. As I write this, the ESV online versions still contain this flaw and many more. More on that HERE.)

MORE EXAMPLES: In the 13th century AD, Aegidius, Archbishop of Bourges, Junia's name to Junias (in Romans 16:7), the masculine form of the name. And in the 16th century, Tyndale's Bible and Theodore of Mopsuestia changed Euodia and Syntyche's names (in Philippians 4:3) to the male forms, Euodias and Sintiches.

6. Reading too much in or leaving too much out.

Reading much in is when we assume the text means far more than it actually does, or that certain writings are far more authoritative than they actually are. We may even go so far as to take abstract principles and turn them into concrete, legalistic practices--in the hope that following extra rules will make us better Christians.

EXAMPLE: During the "400 years of silence" between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, the Jewish religious elite worked feverishly to supply to the people what they thought God would be saying, if He would've been willing to say it. They created what we call the Mishnah, a collection of oral traditions and writings that dictate and prescribe precisely how Jews were to behave in order to accurately follow the Torah and please God. These intensely legalistic rules were accepted as inspired an authoritative. More on that HERE. We have done the same thing today by creating ridiculously restrictive dress codes (especially for women and girls), by dietary restrictions, or by assuming the denomination we attend is God's favorite.

We also tend to leave too much out. The main way we do this is by simply failing to read or apply Scriptural teachings in their appropriate contexts. We also make this mistake when we don't study the Bible and what it shows us about God's character as a whole.

EXAMPLE: Certain congregations believe it's wrong to use musical instruments to worship God, forgetting that this was a common, biblical practice, and that if God appreciated it in Old Testament times, He would probably appreciate it today. They also seem to forget that biblical teachings on worship in both Old and New Testaments focus on the condition of the heart, not on the style of music itself.

7. Loyalty to tradition. Tradition is an extremely powerful force. It connects us with our past, binds us to our families and communities, and helps us function as full members of the society in which we live. Christianity has incorporated many traditions in the last couple thousand years, some of which have biblical roots and some which do not. Though following tradition can be a very positive thing, sometimes tradition can obscure the fact that the Holy Spirit might be calling us to something different, deeper, and more authentic.

Jesus managed to follow some traditions well (like the Passover, although He certainly made it His own), while completely ignoring others. Being so counter-cultural made Him a target for some pretty nasty treatment, and we each intuitively know that the same thing could happen to us--even within the church--if we question long-held Christian traditions and teachings. Often, the first reaction we will encounter is defensiveness and, in extreme cases, a full out attack.

Our loyalty to our traditions can be so strong that we actually value and trust them more than we trust God's Word or the Holy Spirit's leading. And you will find that many times, the responses you get for asking tough questions are rebukes, pat answers, and proof-texted explanations instead of genuine dialog, biblical research, or prayer. Our loyalty to tradition and our own human-centered understandings often create an inability to humbly consider that the Holy Spirit might have more to teach us in that particular area.

8. Lack of critical thinking skills and logic. The human inability to be impartial and objective or apply logic in a charitable, reasonable way is absolutely epidemic. We argue about everything from which essential oil is the best to who has the most right to hate whatever president happens to be in office. Our arguments are emotional, intellectually dishonest, biased, ignorant, and logically flawed. We allow our pride and desire to win usurp God's call to listen well, be compassionate and empathetic, and hold to the truth. The outcome is a mess of confusion, frustration, and hatefulness that solves nothing and keeps us from learning, building healthy relationships, or hearing from God.

So How Can We Make it Better?

These human failures often lead to grossly mistaken understandings of God's purpose and message in the Bible. This is why we have so many different biblical translations and denominations. This is why formula and tradition has been allowed to usurp Holy Spirit led relationships and authenticity. This is why there is so much division in the body of Christ and such a lack of love and compassion for those outside the body of Christ.

However, I have to remind myself that God is capable of using flawed people to accomplish His purposes. There is still good in the world (His name is Jesus) and eventually He will help us see clearly. In the meantime, if I continue to chase after Him, He will keep showing me more of Himself and He might even use me to bless others along the way. One of my favorite passages is I Corinthians 1:26-31: 

^"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

At the same time, though God can use us despite our flaws, we are NOT called to perpetuate or defend those flaws. II Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." And, Galatians 5:1 reads, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." And, even in the midst of a discussion on the value of submitting to legitimate authorities (such as government law), Peter tells us: "Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves" (I Peter 2:16). 

Some principles I've landed on through studying God's Word are as follows (in no particular order):

1. Recognize that God is ultimately in control and will have the final say.

2. Do not confuse evil or injustice or favoritism for God's will.

3. Though God can use flawed people and flawed organizations, the flaws themselves are not godly and should be identified and corrected. 

4. Study God's Word, its history, its people, its culture, and its languages, don't force it to say what it doesn't, and don't make assumptions based on modern, Western thinking. 

5. Value one another. Don't bicker about things that don't matter, but don't be afraid to discuss and tackle difficult topics in a charitable, honest way.

6. Don't say false things. If you're not sure, don't say it. Just don't.

7. Ask God for wisdom regularly. He'll deliver. (James 1:5)

8. Never sacrifice authentic, Christ-centered biblical principle for tradition.

Got any more? Feel free to comment.

* Some minor inconsistencies can be found in certain biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments. However, these variations follow what is expected when gathering perspectives or recordings of an event by multiple witnesses or researchers. Therefore, these minute differences in detail actually lend credence to the veracity and historicity of the events themselves. 

Uncovering False Teachings: The Tithe (Part Three)

Misguided Teaching Six: If we trust God with our tithes and offerings, He will "repay" us many times over. Perhaps the car won't break down or my kid will get that college scholarship. Conversely, if I don't tithe faithfully, God won't protect me from financial struggles.

 

While I don't want to go so far as to call this a false teaching, it is certainly misguided. It's largely based on the Malachi passage above, but there are lots of verses that seem to indicate a kind of "reward system" for giving both in this life and the next, such as the following:

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done" (Proverbs 19:17).

"One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:24-25).

"Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered" (Prov. 21:13).

"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor" (Prov. 22:9).

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward" (Matt. 10:42).

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38).

However, let me point out that, since we aren't commanded to tithe, the part in Malachi about tithing is obsolete. And while there is something important to be learned here about God's character and the value of trusting God with our finances, the purpose of these passages is not to set up self-centered superstition. We are not to give to God out of the selfish desire to receive more. And we are not to give to God out of fear that something bad will happen to us if we don't. To give with either of these attitudes is to strip ourselves of the blessing of just giving.

Rather, these passages are about having faith in God with everything in our lives, and in particular with those things we tend to rely on more than God--those things we falsely believe provide us with security or power or pleasure, but which can quickly become idols in our lives (namely our wealth). These passages are about trusting God to fulfill His promise to love us and provide for us. They're about being willing to face hardship in order to put others first (as Christ later does). They're about having an eternal perspective and not holding on too tightly to the things of this world. They're about seeing others (even "the least of these") as better than ourselves, opening our eyes to the suffering and injustice around us, and letting that suffering break our hearts to the point that we MUST step in and do something. They're about love and compassion and training ourselves to become fully dependent on God alone. And when God says "test me in this" (which is the only place in Scripture He does so), His goal is to build these qualities of utter God-dependence in us--not to play on our greed or fears.

If we're not supposed to tithe, what does Christian giving look like? Where should the gifts go?

Glance again over the many Scripture passages in italics that I've included in these three posts. They come from all over the Bible and nearly all of them demand that we give generously to the poor. In this way, the primary biblical teaching about giving hasn't changed. We are to give to the poor and needy generously. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)

Now try to find a New Testament passage that commands Christians to give to a religious organization, like the Temple, synagogue, or Christian church--or even references it as a Christian practice. You won't find any. That's because Christians weren't expected to practice Judaism, and there was no such thing as a Christian church organization--not for 300 years. Christ and the apostles did NOT set up the early ekklesia (the body of believers) as an organized religion limited by mandatory tithes and hierarchy and church buildings and mystical religious ceremonies and important vs. unimportant people. Sadly, we have all of that today, but it came out of paganism; none of it was taught by Christ nor practiced by the early Christians. (Want to learn more about this? Read this book.)

According to New Testament Scriptures, the early Christians only gave freewill offerings. These offerings were usually in the form of hospitality--room and board. Although, sometimes, they did liquefy their assets in order to give more as needed and as they were able.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. (Acts 4:32-35).

The early Christians gave according to their ability, not according to a legalistic, prescribed amount. They gave with exceeding generosity and giving brought them incredible joy. They LOVED to give. Their gifts went almost exclusively to helping the poor and needy. When Jesus told Peter, "Feed my lambs" (John 21:17) He meant with REAL food. So the early Christians' gifts were either actual food  or actual shelter, or the money they gave went to provide these things--sometimes it was for those within their group, other times it was for strangers (II Cor. 9:5-11), other times it was for traveling missionaries (although Paul regularly refused it) (Acts 20:33-35), but not one denarius went to pay for a building or to pay clergy salaries or to fund self-centered programming. 

Now, perhaps some Jewish Christians still tithed to the Temple for a while before giving it up entirely, just as some Greek converts may have continued in their pagan practices for a while. Learning to follow God in a Christ-honoring way and learning to leave your past, obsolete or ungodly ways behind is often a process, after all. However, maintaining such practices is neither prescribed or praised anywhere in Scripture, rather, under Christ, we are encouraged to leave the old things behind. 

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:16-17).

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here" (II Cor. 5:17)!

"By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear" (Hebrews 8:13).

"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6).

But what if "needy" people just take advantage? Isn't it better to let the church decide how to help them so that I don't just become an enabler?

The fact is, Jesus never commanded the organized, Christian church to help the poor (since it didn't exist). He commanded YOU and ME to help the poor. Individuals. Certainly, joining together with other believers to pull our resources to provide for a particularly large need, as the church of Corinth did (II Cor. 9:5-11), is an excellent strategy. But handing over a large portion of our income to virtual strangers to be spent on who-knows-what-but-almost-certainly-NOT-the-poor is not what it means to "give to the Lord." This is not a New Testament teaching. It is not a Christian discipline or practice. It is not what godly generosity means. 

In fact, to just put a check in the plate--even if you mark it "benevolence" so that it goes to the needy (which is the only way I'll give in a church anymore, but that's my conviction)--creates a separation between you and those you are "helping." There is no relationship there. You are not walking alongside them. You are not seeing them, hearing them, or learning from them (or vice versa). You don't even have to love them. So, frankly, it's a spiritually lazy practice that maintains distance and social disparities often along ethnic/economic divides. You can go about your life as you always have without allowing Christ to change your heart or mind at all.

But the fact still remains that there are those who will take advantage. Greedy, lazy people do exist. When free stuff is being handed out, they'll hop in line to receive whether they're in need or not. They don't mind taking from those who are truly in need. And they don't give back. 

So, how do we watch out for the wolves while feeding the sheep? 

God commands us to help the needy; but we will not be held accountable for other people's sins if they lie or steal or misuse what they receive. Ultimately, our job is to love God and one another, but we "see through a glass darkly" (I Cor. 13:12), and our judgment won't always be spot on. Of course, Jesus also said: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matt. 10:16). While this was spoken primarily in regard to persecution Christians might face for their faith, the implicit claim here is that being shrewd and having healthy boundaries is not sinful. It's wise.

Paul, Silas and Timothy understood this concept when they wrote to the Thessalonian believers and gave the the following advice: 

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.' We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer" (II Thes. 3:10-15).

Therefore, you can set limits and requirements and healthy boundaries as you give. You can require those in your shelters to pass drug tests, for example. You can supply housing for a homeless mother, but also require that she complete a degree or find a job during her stay. You can give your money to a soup kitchen instead of directly to an individual you don't know personally. However, the bottom line is GIVE! SERVE! BE PRESENT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE IN NEED!

Sure, there may be those you will have to turn away. But do not let your excuses that "maybe they're not trustworthy" or "I would just enable them" keep you from figuring out a way to exercise generosity and find a way to locate and then genuinely help those who need help. Because this is how they will see Jesus in you.

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17).

"This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place" (Jeremiah 22:3).

"Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt. “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry" (Ex. 22:21-23).

"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked" (Psalm 82:3-4).

"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’" (Matt. 25:40).

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (I John 3:17-18).

Are you saying the church and tithing is bad?

Let me be clear about something that has almost certainly gotten lost in what I've written so far: I don't believe that the church is evil.  I don't think Christians who attend church every Sunday are evil or foolish or lazy or lacking in gifting or calling. I don't think structure and organization are inherent evils, either.  In fact, it allows us to mobilize large groups of people to do some amazing good around the world, like Compassion International and Mercy Ships and Pregnancy Support Centers. However, what we do today is NOT the biblical, Christian example. Therefore, it's not sacrosanct and, as we discover flaws that interfere with Christ's example or call on our lives, we are free to make changes--even drastic changes to the way we've always done things.

Giving 10% isn't wrong; however, picking a number may simply allow you to just check a box on God's call on your life to be generous. If so, you're missing the point. You're not supposed to be able to limit your growth and character development to a formula. Life, like faith, is about relationship and intimacy and getting messy. It's about being led by the Holy Spirit and depending on Him to guide you to places where He can use you and show you something new along the way.

My Dad, Dr. Rev. David A. Brown, commented the following, and I want to share it here:
"Remember we are temples individually, and then we are to build a “spiritual temple” in a corporate sense, so that our love and unity will be a witness to the world that Jesus was God and did indeed come to make a difference among people. The Body of Christ can do things often bigger and in secret that individuals may not be able to do as part of that witness." 

I wholeheartedly agree with my dad in this. Together we are stronger and I do think the organized church (yes, largely funded by tithers) has been used of God to spread His Gospel (Good News) because it allowed us to mobilize large groups of people. However, with our modern technology I believe we are entering an era where we don't need to localize power in the same way as we have in the past. And I believe the Holy Spirit is calling us to trust in Him rather than in our man-made institutions. If we are truly doing God's work, shouldn't God be the one leading it?

Are you saying it's wrong to spend our money for spiritual gain?

Part of the reasoning behind the habitual demand for a tithe in the church is that we are all needy to some degree. We are all spiritually needy. In this way, God's call to help the needy is reduced to a spiritual metaphor rather than a practical, physical command. So, we can give to the church, sit and be "fed" by a preacher, partake of their programs, and conveniently forget that helping the needy should go beyond just dropping a check in the plate. 

Of course, spiritual and biblical training is valuable, but it tends to be more memorable and impactful when done on the job as an active participant in real-life ministry, rather than as a passive receiver of a sermon. 

My advice is three-fold:

1. Start really researching your Bible and New Testament history and culture to find out how Christ designed His body to function. And never settle for tradition over authentic Biblical, Christ-centered principle.

2. Instead of just dropping a check in the plate, ask God to lead you to someone who is genuinely in need, and then be generous. If that's too drastic, at least start giving your money to a ministry whose purpose is to help the poor or mark your offerings "benevolent fund."

3. Keep praying for God to show you His heart for the poor and needy--those who are mistreated and marginalized and voiceless. Learn to love them. And you will be amazed at how much more of Jesus you see.


THE EARLIER PORTIONS OF THIS POST CAN BE FOUND HERE: Part One, Part Two